Digital Government
DOJ scraps large-scale JCON rollout
The Justice Department scrapped a mammoth office automation program that was part of a $500 million contract with GTE Government Systems Corp. and awarded two blanket purchase agreements that the agency will now use to fill much of its office automation needs. DOJ originally awarded the Justice Con
Digital Government
Labor's site sets up virtual meetings
While many agency World Wide Web sites are simply electronic brochures describing missions and services, the Labor Department has launched a site that provides users with nearly the same service they would receive if they were to meet personally with a Labor representative. Labor uses a Webbased e
Digital Government
NARA guides agencies in digital file disposal
The National Archives and Records Administration told agencies last week that they should make specific plans to preserve or dispose of important electronic records, but plaintiffs who are challenging federal recordkeeping practices in court said the new policy will not protect key digital files. A
Digital Government
The 1998 Federal 100 Judges
Each year's selection of the Federal 100 is different from that of previous years because the process reflects the concerns and the personalities of the particular panel of judges as well as the environment in which the selections are made. For example, five years ago there was little, if any, ment
Digital Government
Visionics unmasks face-recognition tech
Looking to expand its reach in the federal market, facerecognition vendor Visionics Corp. last week released a product that allows users to sift through huge databases of facial images to find a match for a particular individual. The new product, called FaceIt DB, is designed to allow federal offi
Digital Government
A trip to DOT's Web site offers transportation lessons
Several federal agencies have begun to follow a 1997 executive order from President Clinton to develop for teachers and students World Wide Web pages that describe and illustrate agencies' missions. One of the more creative educational efforts to date comes from the Transportation Department. Point
Digital Government
Industry Watch
CSC acquires ITS Computer Sciences Corp. has acquired Information Technology Solutions Inc., an $88 million information technology services company based in Hampton, Va., that does business with the Defense Department and several civilian agencies. ITS specializes in information systems integration
Digital Government
DISA chief says GCCS to shift to Windows NT
The Defense Information Systems Agency plans to fundamentally shift clients for the Global Command and Control System (GCCS) from the Unix operating system to Microsoft Corp. Windows NT running on PCs in order to reduce costs, according to DISA director Lt. Gen. David Kelley.
Digital Government
Roadway Design: Tool Lets You Pick Your Platform
When I worked as a transportation engineer in the early 1980s, our consulting engineering office did its roadway design using HewlettPackard Co. programmable calculators and mylar overlay sheets. Computeraided design software was something we were keeping an eye on, but all we could afford were t
Digital Government
Outsourcing decision-making
The only activity of consequence in a publicsector chief information officer's or senior information technology manager's professional life, I believe, is making the right infrastructure decision. Senior managers in very large jurisdictionssuch as major federal agencies and the 10 or so largest s
Digital Government
Wang, Microsoft extend partnership
Wang Global and Microsoft Corp. have greatly expanded a 3yearold partnership to cover an array of desktop solutions and to provide muchneeded Microsoftcertified engineers and solutions developers. Wang and Microsoft first formed an alliance in 1995 to focus on imaging and workflow (which Wang n
Digital Government
Community Transit Systems
In many cities and towns, elderly, disabled or lowincome residents who have trouble getting to their local fixedroute public transportation system can simply place a call and be picked up at their doorstep. To accommodate such 'flex' requests, transit agencies are turning to a variety of hightec
Digital Government
Infosec vendors build test bed for COTS solutions
A group of systems integrators has launched an information technology laboratory to allow federal government clients to test the integration and interoperability of computer security products in a hardware and software scenario that mirrors their own computing environment. Called the Infosec Resear
Digital Government
Raines, Young win Eagle Awards
Franklin Raines, director of the Office of Management and Budget, and Daniel Young, president of Federal Data Corp., last week won Federal Computer Week's Eagle Awards for outstanding accomplishments in the world of federal information technology. Each year two professional organizations are chosen
Digital Government
Army to award leasing, peripherals pacts
The Army this month is expected to refresh its PC offerings with two new contracts: one for leasing and the other for a broad range of peripherals. Lt. Col. Mary Fuller, product manager of the Army's Small Computer Program (SCP) at Fort Monmouth, N.J., said Army Leasing1 (AL1) has the potential t
Digital Government
Census accuracy counts on automated offices
The Census Bureau plans to release March 30 a solicitation for hardware, software and integration services that will automate about 520 temporary remote offices set up to support the 2000 census. Under the estimated $100 million Automation Infrastructure for the Local Census Offices program, the Ce
Digital Government
Army launches $1 billion wholesale logistics project
The Army last week kicked off a billiondollarplus project to modernize and eventually privatize key elements of its wholesale logistics system, which supplies troops with everything from helmets to helicopters. The Wholesale Logistics Modernization Program (WLMP), which includes a $9 billion inve
Digital Government
NASA's CIO boosts missions
Stunning photographs and models of various spacecraft are displayed prominently in Lee Holcomb's NASA office, a tribute to the allure of the agency's missions that have kept the new chief information officer working at headquarters for more than 20 years. Holcomb, who was named NASA CIO in November
Digital Government
Roster
The sharedinterest group on telecommunications of the Industry Advisory Council last week announced the formation of a new federal advisory team to work with the group on determining how agencies and industry can improve the performance of federal telecommunications contracts. The advisory team co
Digital Government